New Santa Rosa system is a gas - literally

Santa Rosa County’s new landfill gas collection and control system is designed to reduce odors from the Central Landfill in Milton while collecting methane and carbon dioxide emissions.

Special to the Daily News

By DUSTY RICKETTS / Daily News

Published: Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 02:49 PM.

MILTON — Santa Rosa County’s new $1.3 million gas collection system at its Central Landfill in Milton is now online and operating.

Construction on the landfill gas collection and control system was completed in February.

Landfills produce methane and carbon dioxide gas as the organic waste decomposes. Rather than allowing that gas to escape into the atmosphere, the new system will collect the gas through a number of vertical extraction wells drilled into the surface of the landfill. A vacuum is applied to each well to pull the gas out of the landfill.

“It’s a very important project for the county,” said Commissioner Don Salter. “It’s going to help save and increase the life of the landfill. Obviously it’s good not only for the ground environment, but the air as well. It’s wonderful technology. I think we’re on the cutting edge of these kinds of projects.

“As the landfill grows, we project it will be a revenue generator in the near future,” he added.

The plant, which is designed to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, collects an estimated 400 cubic feet of gas per minute, said Joy Tsubooka, public information officer for Santa Rosa County.

The use of the plant also helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with the landfill gas emissions. The plant also has a number of safety sensors and is designed to shut itself down if any of its systems exceed normal operation levels.

Santa Rosa County is still studying the best use for the gas once it has been collected. Currently, the gas collected is being burned off, although in the future it could be used to generate electricity, converted into compressed natural gas to fuel trucks or inserted into a natural gas pipeline.

Commissioners will ultimately decide what to do with the gas, which could happen as early as next year, Tsubooka said.

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.

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MILTON — Santa Rosa County’s new $1.3 million gas collection system at its Central Landfill in Milton is now online and operating.

Construction on the landfill gas collection and control system was completed in February.

Landfills produce methane and carbon dioxide gas as the organic waste decomposes. Rather than allowing that gas to escape into the atmosphere, the new system will collect the gas through a number of vertical extraction wells drilled into the surface of the landfill. A vacuum is applied to each well to pull the gas out of the landfill.

“It’s a very important project for the county,” said Commissioner Don Salter. “It’s going to help save and increase the life of the landfill. Obviously it’s good not only for the ground environment, but the air as well. It’s wonderful technology. I think we’re on the cutting edge of these kinds of projects.

“As the landfill grows, we project it will be a revenue generator in the near future,” he added.

The plant, which is designed to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, collects an estimated 400 cubic feet of gas per minute, said Joy Tsubooka, public information officer for Santa Rosa County.

The use of the plant also helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with the landfill gas emissions. The plant also has a number of safety sensors and is designed to shut itself down if any of its systems exceed normal operation levels.

Santa Rosa County is still studying the best use for the gas once it has been collected. Currently, the gas collected is being burned off, although in the future it could be used to generate electricity, converted into compressed natural gas to fuel trucks or inserted into a natural gas pipeline.

Commissioners will ultimately decide what to do with the gas, which could happen as early as next year, Tsubooka said.

Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.